A few hours ago, we shed tears…
After receiving a message that trees were already being cut by SM Employees, we immediately proceeded to SM, it was 12′oclock midnight. When we arrived, a group of young and old were already there trying to talk to the “tree cutters”. From a distance we could hear the sound of numerous “popping” hammers. The entire balcony of SM Baguio was covered with big ply woods. Luneta Hill was also surrounded with big GI Sheets, Ply woods and plastic covers. The SM Guards were armed and kept flashing their flashlights to the protesters.
By 1:00am, we heard heavy machines. There was an excavation going on in front of University of the Cordilleras (UC). The group ran in front of UC and started shouting and begging for the operators of the machines to stop. But nobody listened.Then suddenly, around 20 – 30 SM employees came down the hill and went to the area where Alnus Trees were planted. It was near the front area of COMELEC. When the branches of the Alnus trees started to shake, we knew that was it. The group ran again near the tree cutters and begged and begged and begged but to no avail. When the first Alnus tree fell… we cried. I saw tough young people cry. Some just sat down and started sobbing, some stayed tough but their tears were running down. Emotions were high. It was a sorrowful early morning for the protesters.
After the first tree went down, it was followed by another…then another… The protesters shouted and begged. They “banged” the GI sheets to create noise but no one threw stones. After a few minutes, the police came. They talked to the protesters. I saw some of the youth leaders crying in front of them, explaining what they are doing. With the blessings of the Angels, it seemed that the Police understood them for the time being.
What is very ironic is the timing of the “drainage project” along Gov. Pack Rd. (the road leading to COMELEC and UC). The entire road was closed to traffic. The buses were relocated at the Baguio Convention Center. This move was simultaneous with the massive fencing of the Luneta Hill. People are already speculating that there was indeed a “sweetheart deal” between SM and the City Government.
This issue may end the political careers of some politicians and will leave their names tarnished forever. Unless they do some “pogi points” now to help save the trees. The people of Baguio City will never forget.
Remember, this generation is the “empowered” generation. Information is free flowing and “Gift Certificates” can not be hidden forever.
To the residents of Baguio City… WAKE UP! Your trees are being killed in your own backyard!
Thousands of Information, posts, comments, reactions, articles and notes are available at the links below.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/228255917254209/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Atreeaday/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/165065245628/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/boycottsm/
SM links are the following:
https://www.facebook.com/smcitybaguio
http://www.smsupermalls.com/smsupermalls/index.php?p=651&mall=3
People always exaggerate and always believe that something is wrong whenever things don’t do well on their behalf. “Sweetheart Deal” – give me a break.
First of all, that area is a private property and that SM has all the legal advantage in this battle. If you have a private lot with trees and that you want to build your house there, I believe you will do the same as SM.
The only thing we could now is to make sure that SM will do what it promised to do and condemn the SM and Baguio Administration if SM failed to do what they suppose to do.
what will be the future of 2mOrow if people around us are cOntrolled by the power of mOney.
i’m angry. and if possible. i would do something about it. i would definitely boycott sm. this really makes me cry. we tried so hard.
and it see,s like it’s all for nothing.
Effing SM! All they want is profit!
They paved paradise and put up a parking lot…
It’s unfair to think that the people of Baguio are not aware of what goes on in their own city. It is after all their city. Sweetheart deals? The DENR and the LGU of the City of Baguio wouldn’t have issued the permit if the SM Management had violated anything. I also doubt if SM would be that daring to lose part of their business from protesters who will boycott their malls.
Please stop being emotional. Find out what both the City Gov’t, the DENR and SM Holdings have done prior to the re-development before raising a howl. I am certain that they have followed our laws before they moved. And by the way, their plans have been in the papers for a few months so why is everyone over-reacting just now?
point1: if trees were replanted would people react the same way still?
point2: why react now? cause SM has money? how about those squatters around baguio? did anyone protest when poor people put up shanties? no? hindi makatao?
lol
see its like this: in a nutshell, cutting trees are wrong. who let people cut trees (say without any tree replanted)? government? who voted for the government anyway? the people right? its everyone’s fault!
“nandaya kaya nalagay yan sa pwesto”.. ulul. people voted and kaya nandyan sa pwesto yan. cheating people would not succeed in cheating or live life after cheating if people were proactive.
anyway.. its all our parents and grand parents fault why we turned out to be lazy ass idiots.
as for the guy who said all sm wants is profit, who doesn’t?
how bout we look beyond this (i’m not pro or against sm really, mahal sa grocery pero mura ang appliances), what if this is the price of a developing economy? let us be reminded that this tree cutting “tragedy” is just a small percentage of what is raped in the environment. i hope that concerned people would at least plan ahead. let us not just move to conserve, but build a better environment.. let us not stop at cleaning up or replanting a tree after a tree is cut, for every tree cut lets plant a forest in its place! madami tayong pera lets develop our landscape naman.
SM = Profit. They dont care about anyone/anything but profit. Boycott their products and malls if you want to make a difference. It’s that simple. There are other alternatives. I haven’t been to a SM mall or bought any products from the SY family since the 90′s.
fuck u henry sy! youre not even a filipino and yet you have d guts to cut down our trees? fuck u!
this article is full of heart.specially in these times that natural calamity is occurring almost everyday.made me almost cry.lets hope for the best.
…hard to balance between urban development for the greater good, or urban development for the greater profit, but when you’re alone in your bed and thinking deep inside if this is the right thing to do, i mean cutting down HARD to grow 40+ year old trees that helps sustain a small portion of oxygen on this rapidly decaying planet we call earth… then my dear unthinkable friend either you’re a long time rich decaying businessman, or a simple citizen who would like to make a stand on what is right. Sabi nga nila, our prime purpose in Life is to be GOOD and help other people, if you cannot do both then at least don’t hurt them.
SOMEBODY watched The Lorax and took it way too seriously.lol,I doubt if you can boycott SM.Really Filipinos?Really?
This is not only thinkable, it’s predictable. If you want to save the trees, Occupy Luneta Hill. Physically take it. Block the machines. If you don’t stop the cutting now, the corporations will return next year to cut more trees. Rise up. The Egyptians did it last year. Is this the year of EDSA IV?
Why are we blaming SM? I mean, it was the government that gave them permission to do it… One way or another, wasn’t the entire Baguio, and most of our cities, once forests? We should be angry at SM if:
(1) they weren’t permitted to cut the trees, but did it anyway
(2) they were permitted to relocate the trees, but cut them instead
Be more angry at the rampant illegal logging still going on in North Mindanao. All people want to profit, its how we earn our livelihood. And yes, profit at the expense of others is bad, which is why we ideally need the government to place rules and regulations. Did SM defy government rules and regulations? If yes, then damn them to hell. If not, then we must shift our blame elsewhere.
im not one sided on this issue>> but that is indeed a private lot, i am against all this cutting but there is really nothing we can do, kung gusto nyo sana na mapreserve yan dapat ung mga protesters or the so called ENVIRONMENTALIST (mismo binili nalang nila yang lote na yan noon pa at least my rights ka na sabihin na bawal putulin ang mga pine trees dyan).. kasi sa tingin ko para kang bumili ng lote na hindi mo naman pwedeng i-develop.
Shit iinit na naman sa Baguio nito! And pag umulan ng malakas baka mas mataas na yung baha! Mausok na nga dun!!
O well, this is the price of development… You have to sacrifice mother nature para maging developed ang isang area (city pa man din siya)… Siguro imbis na magubos ng oras jan kay SM, magreplant na lang sa ibang lugar tsaka sana magset yung government ng mga sanctuary zones or something para di magalaw yung area or mabenta… Wala nang magagawa dyan kasi nabili na ng SM yan at binili nila yan para patayuan ng kung ano ano..
Wow, most of the posters here are hypocrites.
private property nman yun…ang mga tao kc dito react lang ng react hindi nagiicp…tama yun sinabi ni grey …pano kung kau eh magpapatayo ng bahay sa place n yun eh d magpuputol din kau ng puno…kung iicpin nyo rin halos lahat nga ng bahay may kahoy so san nanggaling yun?eh d sa pagpuputol din ng puno…cnbi nman ng sm papalitan nila…ska hello business ang SM, sino nman yung tanga n magtatayo ng business n walang profit…kung gus2 nyo tlgang makatulong sa kalikasan magrecycle kau at magtanim ng mga puno….hindi ung magrereact kau ng negatibo para lang sabihin nyo sa sarili nyo n nagmamalasakit kau sa kalikasan….
I am born and raised in Baguio and I love Baguio so much that I will scold a tourist for making a mess and ask them outright to clean up after themselves, but I don’t really see why the expansion of SM is a big deal, is it because they are a “bigger fish” so to speak?
If the cutting of trees by SM will give more residents good jobs to be able to feed their families instead of going abroad, is it so evil? If it will drive tourists to enjoy what our city has to offer, are they so greedy?
Before we judge and condemn them, weigh things, look at it from a different angle and look at the bigger picture.
Besides, that area is a part of the Main Business District, if not SM, someone else is bound to cut down those trees and make it into something else. There are other parts of Baguio with lots of trees that we can preserve, instead of preaching and just cursing at SM, why not plant a tree instead?
BTW, did you also protest against SLU when they cut down 300+ trees to build their new buildings in Bakakeng? I hope you did, because 168 trees are nothing compared to 300+ trees. If not, it says so much about your agenda.
and also, it’s not just a parking lot. I hope people would stop exaggerating.
This article is incoherent. It sounds like it’s a live report from a battlefield, but without an overview. So you just pick bits and pieces. SM appears to be clearing land for construction, and the writer is with a group of people protesting against the cutting of the trees.
After reading the article, the unthinkable that SM started remains unclear.
Grabe naman ang mga kumakampi sa SM. As much as possible I don’t make a habit of commenting negatively sa ideas ng ibang tao kasi ideas nila un e… pero parang walang pakialam… so what kung binili nila ung lote na yun? the people are already voicing their opinions na makisama sana ang SM na hindi putulin yung mga punong yun. SM is rich enough to let the project go and set their sights elsewhere and consider it a wrong move. Hindi naman sila mab-bankrupt kung humanap sila ng ibang paraan tungkol sa parking. Anyway, can’t they see na isa sa nagccontribute ng charm ng SM Baguio e yung conncection niya sa evironment, whereas other SM’s e puro pavements and concretes. And another thing, so what kung papalitan nila? Magpplant ulit sila? Kelan pa tutubo yung mga itatanim nila? Mapapalitan nila yung years nung mga punong yun? Then you have the gall to imply that we’re ignorant?? I know this will be harsh and siguro marami akong makukuhang rants tungkol dito pero nandiri ako sa ibang mga comments diyan…
jan kayo magaling. mainggit at manisi! pointing fingers, without looking at the big picture. common sense naman tlga na pag magtatayo ng structure, tlgang puputol ng puno. nt that ur sentiments are unheard, but ur reactions are ilogical and uneducated! nalilimutan nyo yata that sm has been providing thousands of jobs for our country. have some respect and stop acting u are smart and a big contributor!
Just let them be Chris, everybody is entitled to his /her own opinion. That is the essence of free information.
Yes, it’s SM’s property. But tingnan din natin yung other side… We’re all aware about climate change. I think ang main concern ng mga taga Baguio e yung safety ng mga people and environment nila. Why would wait for something like Sendong to happen para matauhan ang SM? Hindi naman sila ang maapektuhan diba? We should all be concern. Isa lang ang baguio, isa lang ang lugar dito sa Pinas na ganyan. Bakit hindi natin algaan?
As much as it breaks my heart to see a number of OLD trees bring cut, I’m sure there are regulations and laws for the allowable number of trees being cut and which ones. Now if SM was able to make a way around those, it’s also the fault of whoever is in office because they did not implement the regulations. For the “sweetheart deal”, SM really goes into deals with the govermenment, I guess that shouldn’t come out as a surprise. SM may also have all the permits to cut down the said trees, but could they have done an environmental impact study, what will happen to the lower areas of Baguio of they cut down those trees and build a building. Sometimes it doesn’t matter whose building it is, if it’s big or small if the lot or the area if a structure is made may pose threats to its surrounding environment. Anyway, tree cutting should be regulated in Baguio and officials dictate which tree can be cut, it doesn’t matter if it’s in the middle of the road you’re going to build. If the official says you can’t cut it down, you just have to build your road around it. I just hope that this cutting of trees is within those regulations of Baguio city.
They have been planted and planting 8000 trees since 2005 over the 182 trees they chopped down. Let’s just hope they will do as promised.
“KARANIWANG TAO SAAN KA TATAKBO, KAPAG NASIRA NAG-IISANG MUNDO”…. “ANG MGA BATANG NGAYON LANG ISINILANG MAY HANGIN PA KAYANG MATITIKMAN, MAY MGA “PUNO” PA KAYANG AAKYATIN, MAY MGA TUBIG PA KAYANG LALANGUYAN”
I am not an environmentalist, lawyer or whatsoever, but I know i am a concerned citizen. So many years when our elders kept the beauty and tranquil of our dear city Baguio. It was known to be one of the coldest areas in the Philippines, City of Pines as they say, but now, it’s been very hot and the weather could not be explained. The mere reasons behind this is the climate change. These changes are due to cutting of trees, improper disposal of garbage, overpopulation, too much cars around the city, too many structures, low maintenance of the environment and more. If they cut more trees, I am sure that in the next few years, Baguio will be more popular due to it’s lost beauty. All over the news we have been during the asin road tragedy because of the tons and tons of dirt from the city, and now another great news because of it’s lost fragrance and beauty. Indeed what a great governance we have! We elected you to check and supervise what is good for the people of Baguio and not for the good of your damn pockets! To Gob be the glory, let’s respect His masterpiece. God bless to all!
People can forgive and forget about this, but nature always reciprocate. Goodluck, Baguio.
Hindi lang naman simpleng pagngawa ang ginagawa sa pagintegrate ng protesta sa teknolohiya, sa paggamit ng social media tulad ng facebook, twitter, atbp. Respeto lang sa kung ano mang uri ng paglahok ang ginagawa natin para sa isyu sa Baguio. Maging totoo tayo, hindi tayo lahat may lakas ng loob at tapang upang kalabanin ang korporasyon lalo pa’t napakalaking institusyon ang ating nais kalabanin, kinakalaban para sa nasabing hakbangin – at iyon ang pagputol (o earthballing kung man ang nais na terminong gamitin ng pamunuan) sa mga puno ng Luneta Hill. Sa simpleng “pagrereklamo” sa facebook, twitter at iba pang blog, nabibigyan ng pagkakataon ang mga simpleng mamamayan na maliwanagan at malaman ang totoong kaganapan at buong kwento na malayo sa nasasalaysay sa telebisyon. Marami namang hakbangin ang ginagawa ng mga taong nais pangalagaan ang Siyudad ng Baguio, isa na nga rito ang pagprotekta sa Luneta Hill sa pamamagitan ng pangangalap ng signatura (kung saan naranasan kong mamura ng isang lasenggo at makadebate ang isang Amerikano na nagsabing bat daw tayo nagrereklamo, e in the first place sila daw ang nagtatag ng Baguio City… oops masyado nang marami ang side info hehe), meron ring naganap na rally noong Enero 2012.
Naniniwala ako na di natatapos sa pagrereklamo dito sa internet ang solusyon, ngunit magandang panimula ito upang makatawag pansin at atensyon sa mga taong hindi pa sapat ang kaalaman sa isyu, walang pakialam upang masamahan tayo sa laban na to. Oo, pribadong pagmamay-ari na ang lupaing kinatatayuan ng SM, ngunit wala bang batas o kapangyarihan ang pamahalaan upang kontrahin ang isang hakbang na makakasira sa kalikasan, hakbang na maaaring magdulot ng kapahamakan at sakuna sa nakakarami? May TEPO na naisyu ang korte, ngunit patuloy na nilalabag ito ng SM. Hindi pa ba ito sapat? Nagtatanong lang.
Nawa’y magkaroon ng pagbabago ang isipan ng pamunuan ng SM at ng Pamilya Sy.
SAVE THE TREES. SAVE BAGUIO CITY.
Kakampi pa kayo sa SM? For real?
Come on people. We’ve seen a lot of devastation caused by destruction of nature recently, and yet we never learned. Some say “open your minds to progress” and this not the kind of progress we want to see the next generation to come. Now, hindi na ko magugulat kung one day, isang malaking pagbabago sa climate and land movement ang magaganap dyan sa Baguio. No one knows. Even scientific forecast sometimes fail.
The number of self-righteous, chest-beating, know-it-alls who post their blather here is staggering. Their comments are chock-full of ad-hominem attacks, red herrings and fallacies. There are two issues here: one legal and one ethical. Apparently SM got the permit to cut down trees. That they need a ‘permit’ means that owning a piece of land does NOT make one do as they please with valuable trees within the property. The question is, was it done ethically, with environmental and aesthetic concerns in mind? Next, it is needless to scoff at protesters and make them out to be loonies, as some posters have done here. They are residents who will absorb any and all environmental consequences of tree cutting. Permit or no permit, consequences are inevitable.
Bago pa itayo ang SM meron ng sabwatan ang ang local officials ng baguio headed by FUCKIN’ DOMOGAN and VERGARA kasam council nya. baguio officials are gaining much money also with the presence of SM kaya di na mapipigilan ang SM. MONEY! MONEY! MONEY!
GAGO KA GREY MAMATAY KA NA KASAMA NG BUO MONG PAMILYA, MAUBOS ANG LAHI MO GAYA NG PAGUBOS NG TREES NG BAGUIO. GAGO ULOL UMALIS KA SA BAGUIO
I’m not living in baguio neither staying at the Phil as of passed few years..
I have a good life here in US.. But this issue really affects me.. Heart-breaking..
Sna nga ganun kadali yung mga sinasabi ng iba to buy the lot just to save those trees…
It’s like watching someone kill a son or a pet, someone that has life.. And not only 1 but we’re talking of hundreds here.. But u cannot do anything kasi nde sayo un eh.. So ganun nlng, dun na magtatapos un? Na dahil hindi sayo just shut up nlng? And for those people who are saying nasty or even just not so nice words sa mga taong ang gsto lng ang masave ang trees, what’s ur problem man? Sila pinaglalaban nila yung earth, how bout u, what are you trying to fight for here? To claim that you are like u said the “educated” ones? If that’s the case then are you implying that you will exchange your license for your heart? Then i won’t hesitate to tear down and burn my degree and license for these.. Sige na uneducated na rin ako LOL.. U may have your brains but we have our hearts..i’d rather choose the latter one.. Thank you. Oh and by the way, with regards to the permit thingy? As if you folks didn’t know how “hard” it is to get a “permit” .. LMAO!
Yes, there may be more jobs while it is being done and maybe after, but what about the future? We have been handed a great city to take care of. We are blessed to be Igorots living safely in the city…. jobs today, UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER in the not so near future… jobs today, LESS DEFENSE FOR LANDSLIDES, FLOOD, POLLUTION AND THE LIKE IN THE NEAR FUTURE…. jobs today, NOTHING FOR TOMORROW! And by the way, are we sure that those jobs given will benefit the locals of Baguio? I bet not! People living in Baguio will be the first to be affected, If the worst things came face to face with the people there, will our government help them? Or should I say will SM have the courage to give the citizens what is due for them.
I may not be in Baguio right now, but my heart is breaking to hear the news. Those trees are only trees, but those trees helped us for so many years and will continue to help it’s people till the next hundred years. We cannot just plant another tree. It takes years for it to fully grow, and It will take a lifetime to regret about the devastating effects on man made things against Mother Earth. It’s not just about the tree, its about saving more lives and giving respect in return.
some may say, that the tree cutting is JUST tree cutting. period.. so whats the biggie.. right? wrong! have you been to Baguio lately? the temperature is not what it used to be…. im living here in Mandaluyong and every time people mentioned that they want to visit Baguio because of the cool weather.. i always cringe.. thinking to myself.. yeah sure go ahead and feel the cool temp that is not-so-cool-anymore.. fine.. so with this said… SM how accountable will you be on the near future.. remember every action has a subsequent reaction.. LAW of cause and effect.. *
I was born and raised in Baguio. Everywhere I go I have always been very proud that I came from Baguio. Other pinoys say Baguio is Clean and Green. Now I don’t even think it is clean but I do hope it stay’s green.
As for the people saying it’s private property so they should be allowed to but the trees. You have a point but it is also our human obligation to protect God’s Creations. And in UK even if the tree in your own lot is hazard, you still need to get a permit from environment protection to cut it down which the rarely aprove. I hope they apply this in Baguio as well.
As for the polititians in Baguio “Dati Jadewell ngayon SM parking lot. Convert niyo na lang parking lot office niyo baka mas useful pa kesa sa nakaupo.”
As for the people saying that SM brought jobs. Yes they did but do try to ask the people there on there monthly income and benefits. If you do read, there are a lot of things you need to know than what you just see.
As for the thousands and thousands people who signed the Save 182 petition. Where are you? Hangang pirma na lang ba? Win or lose atleast we tried right?
This is a sad story…=( I thought trees will just be earth-balled and not cut? Or some can’t be transferred that’s why they really need to be cut? Anyway, I condole with the people of Baguio, but maybe, just maybe, SM really has great plans din and they are also doing it not only for their mall’s development but for the safety of Baguio people since di ba may possible soil erosion daw? =( Be that as it may, I hope transferring of trees lang at planting ang gawin nila like what they said.
“So here I stand before you preaching organic architecture: declaring organic architecture to be the modern ideal and the teaching so much needed if we are to see the whole of life, and to now serve the whole of life, holding no ‘traditions’ essential to the great TRADITION. Nor cherishing any preconceived form fixing upon us either past, present or future, but—instead—exalting the simple laws of common sense—or of super-sense if you prefer—determining form by way of the nature of materials…”
— Frank Lloyd Wright, An Organic Architecture, 1939
The structure is already there. May SM renovate following Frank Lloyd Wright’s organic architecture: http://www.franklloydwright.org/web/Home.html?
In all fairness to SM on this issue, I still favor them over companies who plan to cut trees without even thinking of replacing them. Come to think of it, it’s SM’s property and they have all the rights to do whatever they want with it, but guess what, they still promised to plant 50,000 trees in exchange of all the earth-balled trees. How about the others who plan to CUT DOWN TREES then don’t give a S#%T to even replace them? Who’s unfair now? That’s why I agree to this article (http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/opinion/26693-sm-baguio-a-bit-of-bad-luck)
“Not only that, the SM Prime Holdings property on Luneta Hill is not situated within any environmentally critical area. It is also not a heritage site or what might be called a culturally and historically significant area. Therefore, what could have been so grievously wrong with relocating a number of pine trees to make way for a mall expansion that would lead to the creation of more jobs for the people of Baguio City?
A forestry expert even testified that there would be more than enough space in the eight-hectare property that would be left as open or green space even if the expansion or redevelopment were to be pursued according to plan.”…
The redevelopment of SM Baguio has become widely publicized and not a lot of things have been shared regarding SM’s fair share of good deeds. I hope I can help by sharing this article http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=802352&publicationSubCategoryId=64
We all care about the environment bu doesn’t mean we should disregard facts just because we like to believe the worst in people, and in this case, in SM. I hope I can help informing people better. please share. Thank you!